You probably know that when someone has something bad to say about Republicans, it’s because that someone has a book to sell. What you may not know is that when someone can’t think of anything good to say about Republicans, it’s because that someone does not have a book to sell (via Steve Benen).
Why not take try to take some credit for the economic expansion of the 90s? They had both Houses for most of it.
Ash
The problem with Tweety is that he often makes good points. But then he rambles on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and no one else can get a freaking word in edgewise.
The Grand Panjandrum
After eight years of defending the Former Cheerleader it probably boils down to mental fatigue.
Ash
Also, President McCain issued a statement today and I think we should all be listening.
politics.theatlantic.com/2010/01/mccain_i_stand_in_obamas_way.php
shep
They also had to raise taxes to do it. No, no, no, nooooooooo!
meh
Of all the GOP mouthpieces, Todd Harris is usually a decent enough guy. He generally argues his point of view vigorously, but doesn’t really take cheap shots or pull stuff out of his ass – he got pantsed there…
Basilisc
Why not take try to take some credit for the economic expansion of the 90s?
Um, because in 1995 they nearly forced the US government to default on its debt for the first time in history, in order to make a subtle political point that no one quite remembers now?
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
Because deep down they are monarchists. Hence they can’t bring themselves to brag about accomplishments coming out the legislature, except in a negative way (We stopped X…)
Not that the Dems are much better at bragging about accomplishments. We are on the verge of passing HCR, the objective which was beyond the ability of FDR, Truman, Kennedy or LBJ to achieve, and which crippled Clinton’s 1st admin and greatly contributed to the Dem defeats in 1994, and yet Health Care Reform has metastasised into the Dreyfus Affair of Democratic politics, with progressive blogs Un Diner En Famille
But don’t mind me, I’ll be over in the corner with my plum pudding, muttering “Elkins Act, Hepburn Act” to myself.
Demo Woman
The GOP praising the Clinton years, yeah right!
jibeaux
Well, a) you’d probably have to implicitly give Clinton some credit there, which would be a big no-no, and b) these Republican “strategist” clowns’ purpose is to spin and cheerlead for the party. I’m not sure they have any real idea WHY they cheerlead the party. Actually, this is probably true for most Republicans these days. It’s a cultural phenomenon, not a deliberated on and carefully chosen policy-based choice. The ones who are prone to thinking have done flipped already.
Citizen_X
@Ash:
I suddenly have an image in my head of Grandpa Simpson shouting, “Over my dead body! You’re going to have to go through ZZZzzzzzzz…”
jibeaux
@ThatLeftTurnInABQ:
Wow. Obscure, yet so apropos. I learn new things from you guys all the time!
cleek
@Ash:
he’s back to the “get ’em in a room and tell them to STOP THE BULLSHIT!” plan ! that’s my favorite plan.
ThatLeftTurnInABQ
@Ash:
Fixt.
The Grand Panjandrum
@Ash: And that cretinous fucker J. D. Hayworth is thinking of challenging McCain in the Republican primary. I expect President McCain to go Full Metal Tea Jacket in the near future.
Run J.D., run!
Mark S.
Off the top of my head:
No Child Left Behind
Bankruptcy Bill
Medicare Part D
Teri Schiavo
Other than that, it’s pretty much tax cuts and wars.
ruemara
How sad. Even I could jiffy up some republican boilerplate slogan of “accomplishment”, if I was a shill. Medicare Part D, AIDS programs in Africa, War on
IslamTerror, for example. I now deserve to get his paycheck for this year.Mark
While I think we all 100% disagree with the totality of Republican legislative achievements, there are some pieces of progressive policy in there.
For example, Medicare Part D establishes the principle that there should be universal prescription drug coverage. That it only covered the elderly makes it no more a policy failure than Medicare was a failure because Johnson restricted it to people over 65. In Canada, you generally have to buy private health insurance to obtain prescription drug coverage.
Now obviously similar aims could have been achieved by negotiating drug prices as in Canada, and there should have been some attempt made to pay for Medicare Part D instead of pure borrowing, but there’s a kernel of goodness inside that old-people-bribing, borrowing-only-matters-when-Democrats-do-it crowd.
Bill Arnold
Don’t forget the “Do Not Call List” aka the National Do Not Call Registry
jibeaux
@ruemara:
Ironic, isn’t it, that only the first two would probably be judged by the general public to be good ideas that went reasonably well, and yet these are the two that don’t really fit with what conservatives want to be. They really don’t want to brag to their base about expanding federal entitlement programs or helping brown fornicatin’ forners.
Comrade Mary
@meh: Yeah, he’s been my favourite too, for pretty much the same reasons. Plus, bald and proud is hawt.
Now that Brad guy, with the eyeliner and the vague Kristolicity and rabid muppetness: I leave the room when he comes on. Asswipe ^2.
Sasha
@Mark S.:
No Child Left Behind – a law that has done more to retard education since . . . well anything, really
Bankruptcy Bill – makes it harder someone to declare bankruptcy, sloppy wet kiss to credit companies
Medicare Part D – unfunded entitlement that added a huge chunk to the deficit, created the “donut hole”
Teri Schiavo – dramatic example of small government conservatism getting involved the lives of its citizens; knocked the scales off John Cole’s eyes
Notorious P.A.T.
Was that because they didn’t let Gingrich get off a plane first? Or was that the government shutdown?
The Moar You Know
Also never let us forget changing Daylight Saving Time. That was a national priority if there ever was one.
gsim
while tweety sure takes is fair share of criticism around here (and a lot of other places, really), i do love when he nails people on stuff like this. the whole “we kept america safe” meme coming from the GOP has been a personal pet peeve of mine, most notably because most TV hosts/moderators/etc rarely ever challenged that statement by pointing out 9/11.
@sasha – you beat me to it on the bankruptcy bill, one of the worst pieces of legislation that nobody ever seems to talk about, probably because a significant number of dems also voted for it.
Stooleo
Don’t forget the Clear Skies Act. Another POS legislation with a perfect Orwellian name.
Brachiator
@Ash:
Uh, I think the banks beat him to it.
Max
I’ve said it before on here, but I like Tweety. I know he’s a bit of a parody of himself, and he doesn’t always catch the bullshit being peddled by some of the people he has on, but I am confident in stating that there is no one on the tv machine who loates Cheney (both Dick and Liz) and that crew more than Chris.
rdldot
@ruemara: He actually tried the war on terror thing, but Matthews brought up 09/11 and then he pretty much shut up.
Waynski
Given the cacophony of BS the right has been peddling about underpants man, I can’t believe he didn’t get the Patriot Act out there. Tweety wasn’t giving him much of a chance though. Still for a GOP pro to get caught utterly flat-footed like that is pretty bad. Then again, he could have gone Michael Steele and spouted some crazy. Perhaps being silent was the right move.
rdldot
@Max: I like him, too. He’s really the only one I can tolerate watching anymore. He’s not a reporter, but usually doesn’t pretend to be. He’s an Washington insider but I think he’s actually pretty genuine in his opinions. He really switches around his opinions, but I think lots of people do that. And I love when he gets a bug up his butt…it’s fun to watch.
JenJen
@Ash: Shorter Grumpy McFuckstick: I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE!
mistersnrub
If there is a just God, Harris and Ron Christie will be stuck in a room together No Exit-style for all of eternity once they shrug off this mortal coil.
BruinKid
Whenever someone says “the Bush administration kept us safe”, they should be reminded of 9/11. But even if they try to claim that “9/11 changed everything”, and that they meant since 9/11, then remind them of the anthrax attacks and then the shoe bomber.
Actually, in light of the Nigerian on Christmas, Republicans should be forced to answer whether Bush “kept us safe” when the shoe bomber tried to do what he did, and if they say yes, then ask what the difference is with the Nigerian, other than a Democratic administration.
Spadizzly
Not to mention the LAX attack and the Beltway snipers. Also.
Failing that, the currrent wingnut fallback position is complete denial that 9/11 took place on cheney’s watch.
licensed to kill time
The Republicans can take credit for stealing my reply arrow every dang day.